The night before Second Grade

I'm pretty sure that school just ended, so I'm not sure how its time for it to begin again.  I feel like I blinked and summer was gone.  I know we enjoyed lots of fun moments here and there but the main theme for this summer was chaos & work.  Since April, we've been working on moving and ALL the craziness that endeavor entails, especially when you do it while you also are keeping four boys alive.  I could go on and on about that, but that's for another time when I'm not so exhausted and behind on everything--although I'm not sure that time will ever come.

Tonight is about 2nd grade.  Did you hear me? SECOND GRADE?  How did my tiny firstborn baby boys grow up enough to be ready for this?  I look at them and sometimes still see this.

I also feel like we just dropped them off at their first day of preschool.

But no, here we are in 2nd grade.  They are thrilled to be going back to school--to be able to see their friends again and have recess.  And, to be honest, I'm looking forward to the routine that the school year brings. 

Today we bought new shirts for the first day of school, dropped off school supplies and met their new teachers.  All the logistical and practical arrangements have been made.  Even though our entire garage is full of things to be unpacked, we managed to keep track of the lunchboxes and backpacks so we're all set for packing up in the morning.

 We had a rough "last day" before school started.  We just got back from vacation and had a bunch of errands to run which meant lots of fighting, whining, tantrums, so by the time bedtime rolled around tonight, I was more than ready to dial it in and just send them to bed without any fanfare or let Jon tuck them in without me like I do whenever he isn't working late.

However, tonight we did the most important preparation of all.  We tucked their little brothers into bed and then James, Andrew, Jon & I sat in our bed.  At first, they wanted to know why I wanted to see them in my room and then Andrew shouted that he knew.  It is our back to school routine.  We always read them a letter the night before school starts.  Its the same hand-written letter each year.  The only thing we change is the grade that they are going into.  After the letter is read, we discuss what it means.  Usually stories from the last year come up--either about a time they felt lonely/made-fun of or when they saw another kid and what they did about it.

Our pastor at church is always saying that "the only thing that you can take into eternity is people."  I believe in this so strongly that I think this preparation of our boys is more important than the newly sharpened pencils and the 1st day of school outfit.  I would love it if my boys did well in school, but I care more about them doing well with people.  I want them to be boys who love deeply and show grace madly.  I want them to always know that people are what matter--not stuff, not grades, not awards. 

Of course, after the heart to heart about compassion, James also informed me that his toe had a mark on it and that it felt like a giant booger was coming out of his nose.  We take our serious conversations and pepper them with boy comments about boogers and silliness.  During this talk, Andrew was also icing his hand (after having shut it in our minivan an hour earlier) which lead me to realize that their fingernails needed to be cut again, so we did some final hygiene prep for tomorrow and trimmed 20 fingernails. 

We have no pictures because honestly, I barely had the energy to squeeze in this ritual but I'm glad I did. 

Here's to a great year in 2nd grade!

Goodbye #2701 Orchard

Its been about almost a week since we returned home from our annual summer trip to Grandma Mary & Pa Lynn's house in Pennsylvania.  This year's trip was a little different than normal as it was our last one to say in their house at 2701 Orchard Avenue.  They are in the process of relocating/retiring so they sold their home to make it easy for them to leave for Delaware whenever they are ready.

For now, they will still be in the same town so we didn't have to say our official goodbyes to the town...yet!  Saying goodbye to the house itself turned out to be much more emotional for the boys & I than I had anticipated.

This isn't the home that I grew up in, but it has been where my parents have lived since I was in college.  It is the only home that the boys know to think of when they think of Grandma & Papa.  Its where we have had our family pictures taken for the last five summers.  Its where my parents first met Jon.  Its where Jon & I returned to after being engaged (he proposed while we were home visiting my parents for Thanksgiving).  Its where my kids have gone to "Grandma & Grandpa Camp" every summer.  Its where they have destroyed my dad's flowers with a baseball bat.  Its where they have climbed trees, played catch and taken hundreds of baths.

This is the house where Andrew (at 18 months) danced around in a diaper and snow boots while we laughed hysterically.

This is the house where Aaron celebrated his first birthday.

This is where my babies (Caleb this time) have bathed in the kitchen sink.

This is the house where James has created countless treasures out of Grandma's trash.

This is the house where we showered my baby sister as we anticipated Harvey's pending arrival.

This is the house where we've celebrated Christmas, Easter and countless birthdays.

This is the house where I have left my babies in my parent's care while Jon & I have gone on much-needed vacations alone.

This is the house where we've spent time with cousins, run through the sprinkler, sat on the front porch and eaten countless meals.

There are so many memories here.  So many good memories.  The tears flowed for my boys at having to say goodbye to this house.  This house holds treasured times for them, love and so much joy.  This is a home away from home.

What I already know and what my boys are only discovering is that you don't leave those things behind when you move.  You take them with you. And in the midst of sadness, there is always room for a little silliness and joy.

I'm grateful for all the memories we created at #2701 and looking forward to building new ones at the next place.